WASHINGTON — The Presidential Emergency Board charged with making recommendations to resolve the longstanding contract differences between the U.S. Class I railroads and their unionized workforce today submitted its report to the White House, railroads, and organized labor. The board recommended a 22% wage increase, along with $5,000 in service recognition bonus payments, over the […]
American Car & Foundry 50-foot exterior-post boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $34.98 Era: 1974 to present Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com 50-foot American Car and Foundry exterior post boxcar features: Plate B dimensions 33” turned-metal wheelsets with RP-25 contours Proto-Max metal couplers Road names: Burlington Northern […]
NORTH LAWRENCE, Ohio — Nineteen cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed in North Lawrence on Monday morning after the train hit a truck at a grade crossing, the Canton Repository newspaper reports. No injuries were reported after law enforcement and fire agencies responded to the collision at about 7:45 a.m. The accident occurred at […]
READING, Pa. — A doubleheader of 4-8-4 No. 2102 and 4-6-2 No. 425 made the Saturday, Aug. 13, Reading & Northern Iron Horse Ramble — the third of four scheduled — even more of a special event for railfans in the Northeast, drawing large crowds to see the sold-out excursion. It was the first Reading […]
PITTSBURGH — The engineer and conductor of a Norfolk Southern train derailed by a rockslide last year are suing the railroad, arguing the railroad’s negligence led to the accident. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports engineer Matthew Marchionda and conductor Edward Mansfield were the crew of the train en route from Chicago to New Jersey when it […]
GREENVILLE, S.C. — No injuries were reported and no hazardous-material situation resulted when a Norfolk Southern train derailed Thursday morning in Greenville’s Poe Mill Community. WSPA-TV reports the derailment occurred about 8 a.m. The presence of three tank cars among those that had derailed led first responders to initially treat the incident as a potential […]
If there’s one thing all railroaders have in common, it’s the ability to complain about anything and everything. They’re world-class grumblers. So when train crews and labor unions bash the railroads for this, that, and the other thing, sometimes you have to wonder if they’re crying wolf. Wonder no more. The union-management pot, which is […]
Grade-separation projects in Springfield, Ill., and Sheffield, Ala., are among the latest projects to receive grants under the Department of Transportation’s RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) program. In Springfield, a $19.8 million grant will fund an overpass at North Grand Avenue over Norfolk Southern and Illinois Midland rail lines. In a press […]
Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector, $259.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, $359.99 Era: 2006+ to present (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe diesel locomotive features: Flexible rubber trainline and m.u. hoses Etched-metal see-through steps Separate, […]
CHICAGO — Recent circumstances have shown that coal still plays an important part in worldwide energy, enticing coal producers to try and beef up production. But experts say the U.S. coal industry cut capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that capacity isn’t likely to come back. The U.S. stepped up as a swing supplier of […]
In service cab signals: When you watch trains these days just about any locomotive can show up on the point of a train. From run-through agreements to precision scheduled railroading keeping locomotive rosters lean, you just never know what may show up leading the next train. Over the years, a railfan seeking home road power […]
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman says railroad service is suffering for one simple reason: The big four U.S. Class I systems aren’t paying enough to retain and recruit train crews. BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific are experiencing ongoing crew shortages that since last year have caused widespread congestion and […]
